As many of you know, my Dad died suddenly this week. It was last Tuesday – a bright, sunny February day. I was at work and he was running a daily errand for my sister. As he performed a simple daily task he had an Aortic Aneurysm and died while driving down the road.
As I have thought of the events the last few days I first confront my failure to do what I believe I should have been doing and I also have to examine the frailty of life itself. I can easily reason with myself and excuse myself for our relationship. I can say that our personalities are similar in some ways – the main way in that we were both fairly quiet people and though we got along and I respected him greatly – many of our conversations were plagued with uncomfortable silences. My Dad and Mom divorced when I was fairly young and I could use that as an excuse.
What I can’t use as excuses are what he has done – the weekend visits and car rides, going to Falcons and Flames games with him when I was a teen. Also letting me live with him during my senior year of High School rather than me having to leave my friends and move to a different town when my Mom and Step Dad moved to Macon. The meals he has bought. The money he loaned me to get me through some tough times in college. I missed seeing him two Fridays ago when I was in the same county because my job went a little long and I didn’t want to get home too late.
Life is so frail
An aneurysm, a heart attack, a car wreck can suddenly snatch the ones we love from this life. Or sometimes lingering diseases like cancer can slowly steal the life from them. Hebrews 9:27 says that it is appointed for us to die once – it is something that we will all do and we need to take advantage of every moment we have.
There are a few things that I urge each one of you to do.
Cover you loved ones in prayer.
Take care of what you can do to protect your life – lose weight, exercise, etc.
Make the most of the minutes you have with family and friends.
See what mission God has for you today.
With Some Regrets, Steve
Steve…I am SO sorry. I can only imagine what you have gone through this week. May the Lord truly comfort you during this horribly difficult time in your life. I, too, will be praying for you.
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I'm so sorry about your Dad. Your note is so poignant. Maybe we can all learn something from your thoughts. Especially the "make the most of the minutes…"
I am so sorry again about the loss and all that is going on in yours and Rhonda's lives..the bitter and the sweet. Hold tight to Gods hand!
Thanks for the sympathy and concern from each of you. As much as I appreciate your support, I believe that God has used this situation (as he can use all situations) to give me something to tell others. I have regrets for how I treated the relationship between my Dad and myself. I believe I will be able to talk to him about this in the future beyond this life. I have learned to make the most of the relationships I have and…….LIVE MY LIFE SO AS TO NOT HAVE REGRETS!I may not get it 100% right – but I will get it better than I have done so far.
Steve,Very sorry for your loss. You seem to be getting it right to me.There are always regrets. I lost my Dad suddenly over seven years ago. So many things I would like to have for a "do over". Like you, my pledge has been to do better with relationships with those who remain. Still failing sometimes, but still trying.
Steve, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time. Tracy(Hamilton) Kay Columbia '77
Of course, you know that there will be no regrets in Heaven, Steve!
Steve that was a really nice tribute to your dad. We are praying for you, Jackie and Aunt Marilyn. Take care and sorry.